The subject invention relates to a baking assembly for preparing a food product having a filling and, more particularly, a waffle baking assembly for preparing a filled waffle.
Frozen toaster products, such as a toaster waffles, have become widely consumed as part of a meal due to their convenience and short preparation time. The typical toaster waffle is pre-cooked, packaged, and frozen for storage. A consumer typically toasts the waffle while it is still frozen to produce a toasted waffle having a crisp outer surface and that is heated throughout. It is desirable to enhance the flavor of the toaster waffle by adding a filling material such as fruit, jelly, cheese, and the like. Manufacturing such a product can present several production problems, especially when it is scaled up to a mass production system.
A typical frozen waffle is produced by depositing waffle batter onto a lower waffle baking surface, closing an upper waffle baking surface over the lower waffle baking surface, thereby forming a waffle-shaped space, and cooking the batter to form a baked waffle. The baked waffle is subsequently frozen and packaged for storage and delivery to consumers. In a typical procedure the volume of batter deposited onto the lower waffle baking surface is less than the volume of the baked waffle. The deposited volume can be as low as one third the volume of the baked waffle. The batter is deposited onto the center of the lower waffle baking surface and it must flow to completely fill the waffle-shaped space as it is being baked. This flow is the result of fluid flow, leavening action and flow caused by the escape of water from the batter in the form of steam. Because the uncooked batter tends to have a very low viscosity of about 100 centipoise, it initially flows very rapidly. While the batter cooks its viscosity increases as the batter gelatinizes, until it finally becomes a solid baked product. A typical waffle baking assembly cannot produce a filled waffle.
The difficulties of preparing a filled waffle are magnified and more numerous when trying to prepare them in a modem manufacturing facility as opposed to making them one at a time. In a typical manufacturing facility unfilled waffles are produced on assembly and conveyor lines that can create dozens of waffles at a time. It is necessary that all parts of the line continue to move in a coordinated fashion to produce a successful consumer product. Any slow down or problem in one portion of the line can cause the whole line to shut down leading to delay and added expense.
Using a typical waffle baking assembly when attempting to prepare a filled waffle in a manufacturing facility causes the filling to be squeezed out of the waffle batter onto the cooking surface when the assembly is closed for baking. Several production related problems arise when the filling is squeezed out of the waffle batter. The filling material becomes caramelized on the baking surface and causes subsequently baked waffles to stick to the surface preventing the release of the waffle from the assembly. This can require the line be shut down to clean the surface, leading to waste and inefficiency. If the filling material builds up on the baking surface it will become carbonized to a blackened residue, which will discolor subsequent waffle casings, leading to an unacceptable product to consumers and further waste. Further, filing material that is squeezed out of the waffle batter can remain on the outer surface of the waffle casing after the waffle is removed from the assembly. The filling material disposed outside the waffle casing can build up on conveyors and packaging equipment used in subsequent production operations, which requires frequent cleaning shutdowns. All of these delays can significantly reduce the production capacity of a manufacturing facility.
Therefore, it would be desirable to design a waffle baking assembly that permits preparation of a filled waffle that can subsequently be toasted by a consumer.
In one embodiment, the present invention is a baking assembly for baking a filled waffle comprising: an upper plate and a lower plate, each of the plates having a baking surface with a plurality of outer pyramids and a plurality of inner pyramids with each of the outer pyramids having a height that is greater than a height of each of the inner pyramids; the outer pyramids of the upper plate aligning with the outer pyramids of the lower plate when the upper plate is received on the lower plate, the aligned outer pyramids forming a plurality of pinch points; and the inner pyramids of the upper plate aligning with the inner pyramids of the lower plate, with a pocket region defined between the inner pyramids of the upper plate and the inner pyramids of the lower plate when the upper plate is received on the lower plate.
In an other embodiment, the present invention is a baking assembly for baking a filled waffle comprising: an upper plate having a baking surface and a lower plate having a baking surface, the upper plate receivable on the lower plate and a waffle space defined between the baking surface of the upper plate and the baking surface of the lower plate when the upper plate is received on the lower plate; the baking surface of the upper plate having an outer wall surrounding a cavity, at least a first raised portion adjacent the cavity and located between the cavity and at least a second raised portion, the second raised portion having a height that is less than a height of the first raised portion; the baking surface of the lower plate having an outer wall surrounding a cavity, at least a first raised portion adjacent the cavity and located between the cavity and at least a second raised portion, the second raised portion having a height that is less than a height of the first raised portion; the first raised portion of the upper plate aligned with the first raised portion of the lower plate when the upper plate is received on the lower plate and thereby forming a pinch point region in the waffle space; and the second raised portion of the upper plate aligned with the second raised portion of the lower plate when the upper plate is received on the lower plate and thereby forming a pocket region in the waffle space.
The baking assembly of the present invention forms features including a dynamic pinch point and a pocket region in a waffle that prevent the filling material from leaking out of the waffle during the baking process. The dynamic pinch point prevents the filling material from leaving the pocket region and the pocket region provides space for the filling material while the assembly is closed for baking the waffle, so the filling material will not be squeezed out of the waffle into the assembly. The dynamic pinch point formed in the waffle seals the filling material inside the waffle thereby preventing it from leaking out during the baking process.